A £4.2m infrastructure project to develop small robots which 'self-repair' cities is being led by the University of Leeds, it has been announced.

The scheme aims to create robots which can identify problems with utility pipes, street lights and roads, fixing them with minimal impact to the environment and public.

Researchers will develop new robot designs and technologies in three areas:

• "Perch and Repair" – research to develop drones that can perch, like birds, on structures at height and perform repair tasks, such as repairing street lights.

• "Perceive and Patch" - research to develop drones able to autonomously inspect, diagnose, repair and prevent potholes in roads.


• "Fire and forget" – research to develop robots which will operate indefinitely within live utility pipes performing inspection, repair, metering and reporting tasks.

The project is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

It is part of a £21m funding for 'Engineering Grand Challenges' research.

The team will work with Leeds City Council and the UK Collaboration for Research in Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) to ensure that the robots are thoroughly tested before being trialled in a safe and responsible manner in Leeds.

Professor Phil Purnell, from the School of Civil Engineering, said: "We want to make Leeds the first city in the world to have zero disruption from street works.

"We can support infrastructure which can be entirely maintained by robots and make the disruption caused by the constant digging up the road in our cities a thing of the past."

Dr Rob Richardson, director of the National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems at the University added: "Detecting faults and weaknesses early and then quickly performing smart repairs is the key.

"Our robots will undertake precision repairs and avoid the need for large construction vehicles in the heart of our cities. We will use the unique capabilities of our robotic facility to make new, more capable robots."

(LM/CD)